Public Enema Number One

How good is Public Enema Number One on a scale of 1-10?


  • Total voters
    14
Despite a great solo by Murray, this song just doesn't work for me. The first line of the chorus is great, the second not so much. A 4.
 
The first three songs of this album were deceiving. They lead us to believe that this album wasn't going to be too bad. Well NPftD doesn't really ever pick back up from here.
Murray's great guitar solo is the only thing in this song that isn't relatively forgettable. 7/10
 
This one is quite good. The verses are sung with so much power and grit. The chorus feels anthemic, like an a forgotten anthem, an anthem that no one sang..
. The short build up and the solo itself is good! I feel like this song is underrated.

7/10
 
7, thanks to a very enjoyable chorus.

Rankings:

Previous Albums:

Iron Maiden - 6.67

8 - Prowler
6 - Sanctuary
7 - Remember Tomorrow
6 - Running Free
9 - Phantom Of The Opera
7 - Transylvania
4 - Strange World
6 - Charlotte The Harlot
7 - Iron Maiden

Killers - 5.91

6 - The Ides Of March
6 - Wrathchild
6 - Murders In The Rue Morgue
5 - Another Life
5 - Genghis Khan
5 - Innocent Exile
8 - Killers
5 - Prodigal Son
8 - Purgatory
6 - Twilight Zone
5 - Drifter

The Number Of The Beast - 7.56

6 - Invaders
7 - Children Of The Damned
8 - The Prisoner
7 - 22 Acacia Avenue
9 - The Number Of The Beast
10 - Run To The Hills
6 - Gangland
5 - Total Eclipse
10 - Hallowed Be Thy Name

Piece Of Mind - 7.44

8 - Where Eagles Dare
9 - Revelations
9 - Flight Of Icarus
7 - Die With Your Boots On
8 - The Trooper
7 - Still Life
6 - Quest For Fire
6 - Sun And Steel
7 - To Tame A Land

Powerslave - 6.75

8 - Aces High
7 - 2 Minutes To Midnight
3 - Loss Fer Words
7 - Flash Of The Blade
5 - The Duellists
6 - Back In The Village
9 - Powerslave
9 - Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

Somewhere In Time - 8.00

8 - Caught Somewhere In Time
9 - Wasted Years
8 - Sea Of Madness
8 - Heaven Can Wait
8 - The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Runner
7 - Stranger In A Strange Land
8 - Deja Vu
8 - Alexander The Great

Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son - 8.25

7 - Moonchild
9 - Infinite Dreams
9 - Can I Play With Madness
9 - The Evil That Men Do
10 - Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
6 - The Prophecy
8 - The Clairvoyant
8 - Only The Good Die Young

No Prayer For The Dying

6 - Tailgunner
6 - Holy Smoke
8 - No Prayer For The Dying
7 - Public Enema Number One
 
One of the few songs from the album that I would be happy to listen to separately. Has some enjoyable moments, but nothing special.
7/10
 
One of the best songs on the album. Dave really outshines the other members with a fantastic solo. 7/10.
 
9/10

Public Enema Number One is a strong song with a political message to not take anything up the ass (there it is again) from the world or crooked politicians. Dave contributes another awesome rocker of a tune and delivers a great guitar solo. The chorus is rather dark and catchy. I really love the line, “California dreaming as the Earth dies screaming.”
 
Bruce sounds not great here, but I actually like this song quite a lot. Nice rhythm to it.

Who is singing behind Bruce? Is it his voice layered twice? Anyway. 7/10.
 
Now we're getting somewhere. Awesome intro and Bruce's vocals really complement the heaviness to the music. The social commentary lyrics had mixed results in the early 90s but they really nailed it on this one. I love the frantic guitar playing through the whole song. Definitely a Janick contribution. Even the way he plays chords, just loosely strumming them, is a huge contrast to Adrian's laser like precision. You really hear that here.

Love the call and response sort of melody before the solos, that's really something different for Maiden. Great soloing.

And wow, Bruce and Dave wrote this song together. I had no idea they ever collaborated. I need to start paying more attention to the writing credits.

10
 
Strange one this. Better than most of the album but only by virtue of not being cheesy or outright poor.

It's ok, there's some good moments but it's all pretty unremarkable including the chorus. And the song title is cringe

6
 
The general consensus of this song seems to be that it's one of the better songs on the album. As it got going I was thinking it was kinda overrated, but as it went on I found myself enjoying it. The chorus is different for a Maiden song, yet pretty great. Overall, I'm giving it a 7/10 because it's not perfect, but it is a good song.
 
8. Picks up directly where "Holy Smoke" left off, as if the title track never existed. Very strong offering, like "Tailgunner", and the lyrics are quite good (some of the best in this album).
 
Nicko's cry breaks into a by-the-numbers harmonized part, which shifts into a surprisingly intense verse. Bruce's half-growly delivery actually fits the lyrics well, and the verse builds up to...a slower chorus that forfeits most of the energy built up by the verse. That said, the chorus is still catchy, and it takes a different approach with the vocal harmonies than we're used to hearing.

A guitar fill rebuilds the intensity, returning to the verse ("guns and riots!") and another chorus before shifting to a musical interlude and a strong solo.

One more verse (that ends on an unfortunately off-key note) and chorus, and we wrap up with a not quite big rock ending and another blurt from Nicko.

Bruce's growly vocal approach actually works for him here, and the verses are great. The choruses are interesting and have their appeal, but may not be the best fit for this particular song. Overall this one is pretty good, but could have been even better. 7/10.
 
And wow, Bruce and Dave wrote this song together. I had no idea they ever collaborated. I need to start paying more attention to the writing credits.
I find their common output particularly interesting ("PE#1", "Chains of Misery" and "Judas Be My Guide" - all very good songs without being too Maiden-like). A missed opportunity for a side-project, maybe?
 
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